The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-12-24
USES OF A GLASS EYE.
A MAN WHO EMPLOYED IT AS A
BUSINESS INVESTMENT.

How . successful Merchant Utilized the
InwinLing stare OF Hi- Artificial Optic
DsInOralizing . TRICKY ClerI.--Catchins
/ NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Bully.
There are various uses to which the glass
: csc can he put n partially cures the defects
F Of misfortune. and makes a slightly optic out
Of an mla -htly wound 1t enables prudent
person also to sleep with one eye open. This
los always been regarded a. a very merto-
r.0gs achievements The man who dos this
b. alwa.H boxed upon by his neighbors as
"up O. snr.f
a distinguished merchant in conversation
with reporter the other day remarked cas-
ually that De- owed his success ia business to
"A vcry singular circumstance
"mdetl
aye You must know have glass eye
If never remarked IT,
no, nor are any Of my acquaintance
aware of IT, IL Is triumph Of art in its
way Sly people in the stors haven't the re
hottest idea Of anything Of the kind But
tho eye serves a useful purpose, nevertheless
IT, uuwinlung stare viii wiring the truth out
Of q fraudulent clerk when nothing else
viii
zone day, continued the gentleman, Il
had reason 90 believe that a certain person ia
my store had got into tricky ways and was
darauling me first arranged my eye at a
certain angle and walked over near the
counter pretending t. be examining pile OF
goods The defective optic covered his sur
roundings Hcwas waiting upon some custom
els at The time, and soon became noticeably
uneasy 40 Che furtiyo glare which encountered
his eyes whenever he raised them 1 soon
discovered that he vas growing very nerv-
Gus. and moved 10 another place where my
angle Of vision st.ll apparently kept him ia
view. By this timc-ho had been under fire
perhaps q h1lf hour saw that his nerves
were fcaIfuIly shakcn, and his hands trembled
visibly as be did up the packages There
was a white l9ol, upon his face that denoted
intense agitation kept him under fire per
haps an hour in all and then went TO another
part OF the building.
AGAIN UNDER FIaE
"Tho next day I brought the young man
again undel the influence Of the glass eye
TINS time Ais agitation Visibly increased and
be began 90 wear harassed aud hunted look
that under ordinary circumstances wOum
have appealed 20 my sympathies But
kent him boo view and was resolved to see the
outcome of TIE experiment By the end Of
the week. bee was the worst dcmoralizcd man
ever saw IN ily li.o When he had reached
this stage called him into my private office,
aul lx,n- tlc glass eye 50 that it would meet
his look fairly 1 awaited the interview lie
was very pale and his hands tembled nerv-
Ousy ! looked ~ him curiOusly for a mo
mont and then inquired
".laye you not something 10 tell mef
"Hehcsitatad for a moment and then STAN
mernsly replied.
WHY n5 sir What should tell your
Return TO your work, then But as he
turned away 1 remarked to him. quietly i
think you bad better tell me"
This evidently broke him up lie came
back AID sank into a chair His face was
pale as death and bis eyes full Of tears oh,
sir be cried. pray forgive me- and then it
all came out lie had been pilfering, but Sc
iugcniousiy that the thing might have e.
capped detection for years. But the glass eye
broke down oil the barriers Of his cunning,
and brought him TO book as perhaps nothing
else could have done There is something
so uncauny in the steady, unwinking glare
of glass eye that few nerves can resist it.
"But this is only one instance out Of many
got the reputation among people Of seeing
everything that was going on. Ny brother
merchants and traders gave up trying TO i'm
pose on me. They perceived from the steady
look IN my eye that | saw through their
maneuvers, and dealt with me fairly.
SEVERAL OTHER INSTANCES.
There is another instance will relate to
you, where it served a good turn One night
in a crowded car pickpocket was indus
triously bat skillfully pursuing his calling
He glanced up and saw that my eye was
fixed upon his proceedings. OF course l
didn't see his robberies, but he thought did,
and, passing me quickly, whipaIed in my ear
Don't peach and fed from the car.
II took in the situation on the instant, and
calling to my fellow passengers, gave pursuit
and captured the thief We found in his pos |
session a half dozen valuable purses and some
jewelry.
Il have grown 50 accustomed to the effect /
my glass eye produces that / am now con |
stantly on the lookout for the influence it |
exerts
a bully al "A ward meeting once under /
took TO brighten me by threatening demon |
STATIONS, but / encountered his furious /
glances with 50 steady an eve that he became /
in turn AMI humbly apologized /
for his vulgarity and abuse He had scared /
me nearly to death, for I am rather a trail /
man, but my glass eye brought him to terms,
as it does nearly every one with whom it |
comes in contact
81 suppose, then, suggested the reporter,
that you would advise the use Of glass eyes
by business menT
"Well, | hardly know" meditated the
merchant They arc certainly a great con-
genience. Possibly the advantages derived
rom them would lot justify man in put
ing out natural eye Tor the sake Of supply
ms its place with an artificial one. But the
question is open 10 argument. Much can be
aid on both sides Of it.n
II SUPPOSE. OF course. You exclude women |